While some people enjoy putting together a story, not everyone enjoys writing. Unfortunately, in a digital age that demands new information every second, you need a way to communicate your ideas to be seen as an expert in your industry.
So, to be able to get these thoughts on paper, many people turn to the classic method of writing a blog: telling the reader what you’re going to say, saying it and then reminding the reader of what you just said. This format might get your point across and help you develop a basic flow, but this process can lead to writer’s block, disengaging content that does not benefit the brand and, the worst offense, being seen as an uncredible author that offers only repetitive information.
So if this configuration ignores several key pieces of what can turn a blog from mediocre to awesome, what actually makes a blog great? While it varies from industry to industry, a writer should aim to fulfill three basic principles – to be knowledgeable, readable and personable.
Knowledgeable
To be seen as knowledge, there’s not really a way to fake it – you have got to actually know what you’re talking about. This is done by ensuring that you’ve researched the topic thoroughly, speak on the subject like an expert and, when offering links, cite reputable sources.
It’s also crucial to talk to your audience in a manner that inspires trust in your information. Think of how a teenager reacts when trying to decide between listening to his parents and listening to his friends on a difficult topic.
The teenager knows that his parents are an authority, but he doesn’t feel like he can trust the source; instead, he trusts his friends, who aren’t necessarily credible, but know how to present their information properly to the audience.
Readable
If you are asking a person to buckle down and read at least 400 words, you need to present your information legibly or the Internet will become bored with you very quickly. Setting up your blog purposefully so that it transitions seamlessly from point to point can help lead a reader onward and choosing active language over passive can help ensnare the reader much more effectively than vague verbs like “might” or “could,”
As a general rule, it’s best to stick to writing at around an eighth grade reading level unless an audience demands a specific tone. Using colloquial or heightened language might work well for your brain, but you’re writing to the masses, not yourself.
It’s also incredibly crucial to proofread your work or risk the embarrassment of having a typo pointed out the comments section. If you don’t feeling proofing is important, consider what it is like when you are at a restaurant and see several typos on the menu – you are far less likely to trust the source if chicken is misspelled. It’s the same with your blog.
Personable
To capture the tiny attention span of the digital landscape, you can’t be boring, which means letting a little personality show through is a positive thing, whether that be a sarcastic edge, a bubbly point of view or a somber tone. Your blog will also need a specific point of view to be memorable, which means you will need to form an opinion on a topic, even if the piece isn’t about sharing it.
Remember, you’re looking to engage users and entice them to not just believe in a brand, but also to share your content. If they forget about your blog 10 seconds after reading it, you haven’t made the sale of your topic or yourself.
Not Everyone Likes to Write – But Who Doesn’t Like Cake?
Reading about three vague attributes that a blog needs might seem helpful, but when faced with the daunting blink of a cursor on a blank document, even the most obvious tips fly out of your head. Instead, take the time to compare that content piece to something simple and your brain will kick into gear and pour out all of those ideas you’ve got rumbling around your synapses.
A great example of such easy-to-accomplish steps is baking a cake. So grab a whisk and a topic, because it’s time to write the best blog you ever have.
Step One: Find a Recipe
Obviously, the first thing you do when you are baking a cake is to check out how many eggs you’ll need and what temperature you need to preheat the oven. Translating this thought process into writing content, this is where we gather up our ingredients and plan who the content represents, what it should say and how it should say it – all of which can be done by putting together an outline for your blog.
Know who is speaking.
There are three voices that should be considered for every piece of content – the brand, the audience and the writer. The three might seem like they contradict each other, but can actually mesh well when you answer a few simple questions.
To properly communicate your brand voice, pick out three to five adjectives that describe the company. Is the business friendly or informative? Fun or serious? Spunky or professional?
Who reads the blog is just as important as the brand it is written for. Is the audience educated? Are they in need of comfort, information, support or just a laugh?
Though you might be representing another company in your blog, your own personality should shine through so that the reader can engage. You can best determine your own voice by considering how you personally tell stories.
Think of your top anecdote or the family story that you tell constantly. Are you succinct or long-winded in your rendition? Informational or funny? Do you give minimal details or overload your listener’s senses?
Even if you get three very different answers from these sets of questions, there is a way to combine the three voices well. When writing, think of how you would act when attending a convention while representing your company.
You would, of course, be wearing a name tag at this convention to be able to be quickly identified and, whenever you spoke to someone about your company, you would speak on the topic of the convention. So, while you might be using language that works for the convention or audience, you are representing the company with your own voice and storytelling skills.
Know what you’re saying.
Now that you know the tone your content piece needs to communicate – or preheated the oven, if you will – you need to gather up your ingredients or research your topic. Many people make the mistake of only looking into the specific area of a subject that a blog is focused on, but this is a surefire way to end up with too little information and too much “fluff” to get to a word count.
Instead, you should look beyond your narrow scope and investigate until you understand the topic completely. The more you know, the more you can speak with authority on a topic, helping prevent writer’s block allowing you to create content faster and easier.
Know where you’re going.
Now that you’ve gathered up your eggs and flour, it’s time to build the recipe or outline your blog. This can be as informal or as detailed as you like, but you absolutely need to know what kind of cake you’re baking before you put it in the oven.
This is why it is crucial to never start a blog without knowing what you want to say. Often, the reason you get stuck writing a blog isn’t because you “aren’t a good writer,” but rather because you don’t have a plan.
It is also important to note that while it might seem like an easy thing to write, a conclusion is not just restating what you’ve explained in the piece. Instead, try to think of it as the plan to draw the general idea out of a blog, giving your reader a final point that will resonate with him or her throughout their day.
Step Two: Mix It Up
Now that you know where you’re going, it’s time to make a mess of that carefully planned recipe. Dump all of the dry and wet ingredients into a single bowl and mixing them up to form a mass of sweet goo or, in content terms, turn that outline into a first draft.
This is a stage where you need to feel free to make a mess. As William Faulkner once said, “Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything really good.”
While first drafts might often seem like a scary situation, this is why we created an outline first. You’ve eliminated the amount of time you waste staring at the blank screen in fear by placing the information you need directly onto the page itself.
Begin to turn your outline into full paragraphs, but don’t worry about the logistics yet. Write without stopping with your end goal to simply get words on the page.
Don’t stress over word choice, word count or tone yet. This step is just about turning the outline into some sort of paragraph form, so be as messy as you need with the electric mixer.
Step Three: Bake at 350° for 30 Minutes
The baking stage is the big first edit – and like an oven, it might burn a little. You’re putting your own work under a microscope and turning that chaos you just created into a presentable and interesting piece of content.
Don’t be afraid to be drastic in this stage; cut, move and change portions as needed. Also, try to do more than just impart information, but rather tell a story, giving a beginning, middle and end to your blog.
Step Four: Let Cake Cool Before Decorating
This is the most agonizing part of the process – after your first edit, put your draft aside. It might seem tempting to keep pushing forward, but, to return to our cake analogy, if you put frosting on a cake before it cools, it will melt off.
You need to read your words like you didn’t write them, giving yourself a fresh perspective on the subject. Remember that no break equals missed mistakes!
Step Five: Frost Away
Now is when you work to make your blog pretty and, as frosting can cover any mistake on the cake’s surface, so can your word choices. Search for and replace repeated words and phrases, make active verb choices, and organically work in your keyterms to turn your blog into an SEO masterpiece.
Step Six: Sneak a Taste
A good chef always tastes a dish before serving to find out what ingredient it might be missing. For a writer, this assessment can come from yourself or an outside source.
Check the blog from top to bottom, reading each word carefully to ferret out errors. If needed, read the piece out loud or ask a friend to look it over. Criticism might hurt, but in the end, it is a writer’s best friend.
Step Seven: Serve and Enjoy
Just as with baking, once a piece is done, it’s best to go ahead and serve it rather than continue to fuss with ingredients. After all, you can’t add in eggs after the cake is baked.
This means that once your blog feels complete, it is done. Too much editing can lead to you removing great elements from your work. Instead, trust the message of a popular Disney movie and let it go.
Hopefully, your final product is a piece of content that you feel incredibly satisfied with and proud of. And, if you still feel like you aren’t a writer, remember that even if a cake is ugly, someone will still eat it if it tastes good – so if your blog imparts quality information, someone will learn from it and enjoy it.